Total Drama Animalia
by Ficficcer
Summary: SYOC fic with a twist. Their plane crashed on an island in the middle of nowhere. Gifted with amulets and burdened with grueling challenges, can they defy the dragonesque Chris and leave the island... together? The first challenge requires them to find their team's respective totems. A few activate their amulets. A tight race ensues. Who will win?
1. Applications

SYOC fic with a twist. After a plane crash, a ragtag bunch is marooned on a remote island where they find 14 amulets, one for the each of them. Each amulet bestows its owner the power of an animal. Quickly, they find that they are the subject of a twisted reality show. If they win, they get to leave the island. If they don't, they are trapped there... FOREVER.

* * *

**Usual rules apply. No half-a*sed apps; make your characters interesting! If not, you might as well label them as the Heather/Gwen/Alejandro/Harold wannabe, and so forth. Multiple apps can be sent, but it's not first come first serve. Challenge ideas are appreciated!**

**To make things easier, if you have a saved app of your OC you used in another SYOC, feel free to send that instead. Just add Animal at the end.**

Name:

Stereotype:

Gender &amp; Age:

Animal (make sure this hasn't been taken):

Appearance:

Personality (give me a summary here):

Likes:

Dislikes/Fears:

Relationships &amp; Romantic profile:

**That'll be all! For the app: leave a review so others can check if their animal has been taken, and PM me so I can easily access it when writing. Until next time!**

**/terminated**


	2. The Whole Cast

The Bermuda Triangle was a ridiculously feared place. Just because planes and ships had disappeared inside of the dreaded shape more than once didn't mean it would happen again... would it?

Despite what others said (or forewarned), 14 passengers boarded the plane heading to Canada. Unbeknownst to them, they were about to embark on a gauntlet far more terrifying than the turbulence they would face passing over the infamous Triangle... or the chaos that would soon follow.

The airline ticket agent responsible for booking those passengers had glanced at their tickets before handing it to them, reading the names:

_Sebastian Raven_

_Allison Michelle_

_Mathias Leopoldo_

_Madison Gardner_

__Issac Smith__

_Piper Leona_

_Andrew Miles  
_

_April Fitzpatrick_

_Hunter Storm_

_Natalie Johansson_

__Jake Astin__

_Maria Santiago_

_Grant O'Neil-Shaun_

_Maureen Edwards_

Silently, she prayed that they would be safe (because she believed that the Bermuda Triangle was evil, _evil!_)

So did that man that sauntered away from the gate, muttering '_the show shall now start_'.

* * *

**That's the whole cast! Thank you everybody! I'm sorry to those who didn't make it, but if the story goes really well, I might add in some 'interns'. But I'll get writing right now and try to have it up by next week.  
**

**Sorry in advance if I butcher your characters next chapter! Until next time!**

**/terminated**


	3. Turbulence

It was perfect. The island was remote, far from any curious eyes. It didn't even exist on the same physical plane as the rest of the world—he had made sure it would stay that way. The cameras were all ready to record the crash that would happen in a few minutes.

To say that Chris was excited was an understatement.

"Cheeeef," he whined to the walkie-talkie he had procured from a dead traveler some years ago (Gulliver, was it?). "Are you ready yeeet?"

"_Have some patience, man, I just got off the intercom. Damn brats kept mingling together. I told them to strap up or I'd do a 360._"

"Don't, I'd really love to see them bounce around in that tin can when the turbulence starts to hit."

There was a grunt, barely audible. "_Anyways, I'm all set,_" came Chef's reply.

"Splendid." The smile that bloomed on that clean-shaven face of his was awfully sadistic. Chris looked up and saw the plane skimming across the sky where his victims lay oblivious to their demise.

His eyes glowed crimson. "Time to start Operation Animalia."

* * *

It had been something hours since they left for Canada, and Jake Astin was buzzing with excitement and fear. The tan-haired teen looked ironically innocent in his tough get-up, and if he wasn't wiggling in his seat someone would've mistaken him for a hiker.

"Are we there yet?" he asked for the umpteenth time, gripping on his seatbelt. They were, like, 30,000 feet in the air! They could hit a mountain and crash and fall—the thought made him _sick_.

"No, _amigo_," said a girl in a Spanish accent from behind. "We're still in the airplane, still flying. Still _doce_ hours to go."

"I—I don't know what that means, but it doesn't sound good!"

"It'll be fine," assured a brunette who was sitting next to him. When Jake looked at her in disbelief, April Fitzpatrick tried to go another way. "Alright, so you're afraid of heights. Why don't we talk about something else then?"

"O—Okay."

"So, why become an exchange student?"

"To hike," was the feeble answer. "I want to get over my fear, but I thought I'd just have to do that in Alaska. I didn't think about a plane! I thought, you know, we'd get onto some cruise and sail over there." Then Jake chuckled. "You should've seen my face when I received the letter. I was scared! But stoked at the same time!"

"Me too," said Maria Santiago, who leaned over from the seat behind them. "I was so excited that I ran laps around my house until my_ el padre_ told me to come inside because it was night already."

April laughed. "I just went and packed all my stuff because I was so excited. I heard there was this famous circus in Canada, and I didn't want to miss that!"

Jake's eyes twinkled. "A circus? I've never been to one! Have you been to one? What's it like? Is it like in TV? Are there really elephants? And lions? And unicycles?"

"Calm down, _amigo_," said Maria, grinning. "But yes, circuses have all those animals and unicycles."

"Really?"

"I've been to one too. It's all true!"

* * *

Since the silence between the 14 passengers had been broken (by a very chatty Jake), others had sparked their own conversations with their seatmates. Some, like a girl and a boy, remained silent as they did from their departure. The two of them sat next to each other, one watching an interesting spot on the floor and the other watching outside one of the plane's windows.

Suddenly, a messy-haired blonde poked her head from the seat in front of them. "Hey, why aren't you two talking?"

"Is there a _rule_ that states we have to?" retorted the boy, his blue eyes never left the window. He also had messy hair, but it was a chocolate brown. He wasn't against talking; it was just that he didn't know these people. Then again, he could if he _actually_ talked to them.

Dismayed, the blonde replied, "No, Mr._ Sarcasm_. I'm just saying that since we're going to be in here for another twelve hours, we might as well introduce each other. I'm Allison Michelle, aspiring scientist!"

_You look the part_, the boy thought, noticing the glasses and lab coat. He didn't notice the person next to him speak.

"I'm Madison, aspiring performer," said the Hawaiian girl in a soft voice. Like the boy's, her hair was a chocolate brown. But it had blonde highlights, giving her a rather shy look.

"Nice to meet you!" The wannabe scientist then turned to the boy, unimpressed. "And you?"

"None of your business."

"Mentioning your name won't hurt," said a black-haired teen, whose face popped next to Allison's. While most handsome men flaunted their beauty, he kept his head down as he spoke. "I'm Mathias Leopoldo, aspiring corporal businessman. See? Not that hard."

The boy was about to tell them off, something he really didn't want to. Small talk just wasn't his thing. But when three pairs of eyes stared at him in anticipation, he reluctantly gave in.

"... It's Sebastian Raven."

"And?"

Sebastian glared at Allison before mumbling, "Aspiring writer."

* * *

Though she wasn't the only one, she had solely gone on the trip to escape life back home. Or someone _else'_ home, if Maureen Edwards had anything to say about it. The blonde was sitting comfortably away from the chatter, watching outside the window in contemplation. She was torn between her life decision and her parents, and just hoped that this 'vacation' would help her ascertain which one her heart truly belonged.

_Lea, I hope you're right about this_, Maureen thought, remembering the six-year old's kind face. _If I ever swallow my pride and leave you—the family—just know that I'd be doing it for my own..._

"HQ, this is Agent Johansson reporting from the plane. I am suspicious about one of the passengers aboard. I repeat; one of the passengers seems suspicious."

"Ugh," Maureen said, looking back. "Hey, can you stop your chanting?"

The bunned-up brunette crouching on the floor fully ignored her. No surprise, since Natalie Johansson was busy with her monologue to notice the annoyed teen. Groaning, Maureen found a set of headphones to drown the agent out. _I'm beginning to regret this already._

"He is male, 5"6, 145pds and looks Caucasian. He seems to be intently watching a pair whom I've identified as Andrew Miles and Piper Leona. I am coming in for the kill; I repeat, I am coming in for the kill." Natalie stealthily crawled over to the mysterious teen sitting at the very back of the plane. Since their departure, nobody had bothered to sit next to Issac Smith since he gave off a rather unsettling vibe.

Ducking behind a seat, Natalie peered at the teen. "Okay, WWBWD: What Would Black Widow Do?" she recited, finger to her lip. "What would she do? What. Would. She. Do?"

Meanwhile, Issac had heard her (she was just a seat away from him, after all). He narrowed his eyes, thinking if he should stal—keep tabs on her as well. But he shook his head, focusing on the pair before him.

_Hmm... they're on their honeymoon, and the husband is lecturing to his wife about her plans for the future. No, wait, he's nagging her that the hotel she chose was too expensive. Or maybe he doesn't want the baby anymore..._

* * *

The only reason Andrew Miles went on the trip was because he needed to prove himself. Most people in his life labeled him with only one shade out of the many that made up his personality. Which wasn't much, he reluctantly admitted. For one thing, he had absolutely no patience for late people. Like their escort Chris McClean, who didn't even show up at the airport!

"There was one time when Levi took me to the ice-skating rink. It was pretty romantic... oh! Did I tell you about the time he took me out for ice-cream in the middle of winter?"

"Yes," the brownish-blonde deadpanned, "you may have mentioned it more than once. Twice, to be exact."

Piper Leona proved to be more tolerable than Andrew thought. The bob-cut brunette was a dedicated pupil, a prep. People like those were hard to find. Plus she didn't mind his advice (even though he knew most people hated how much of a prick he was).

Piper meekly scratched the back of her head. "I'm sorry, I just really miss him. I mean, we've only been together for a month but he's so my type!" Noticing that she was at the start of another rant, the prep stopped. "But enough about me. What about you, Andrew? Got anybody special?"

"No," he said, not sounding as resentful as he had hoped. "Not many people view me as 'boyfriend' material, since I... well..."

"What?"

Damn. He promised himself that he would keep it secret, and now he had backed himself in a corner. "I sort of have this gift." _Great, now I sound like some comic book hero._ "I can instantly calculate anything, like a human calculator."

That nickname had been the bane of his life, and he'd hoped that it wouldn't prevail for the rest of the flight. Thankfully, Piper looked genuinely interested in his 'gift'. "So you're good at Math?"

"Not just Math," Andrew said, realizing that the term calculator was misleading. "I can pick up details and piece them together like a puzzle. For example, I knew that you were committed to your academics just by your first impression. You like to be neat and orderly, which tells me that you frown upon rebellion. Conversely, this tells me that you cherish the rules. This was supported when you scolded Natalie for being out of her seat and lectured her about 'keeping safe' and 'seatbelts' and whatnot."

Piper flushed. "I guess I'm an open book, huh? But I'm impressed, Andrew Holmes."

"That's the worst pun ever," the human calculator chuckled.

Of course, he was very flattered.

* * *

At the far front end of the plane, two teens were discussing the one's experience at a military base. Hunter Storm was glad that someone appreciated his past, even if he despised the scars his father gave him. But Grant O'Neil-Shaun nodded happily as Hunter described the architecture of the camp which had housed over a three battalions.

"I wish the plane would take us there!" said Grant, whose bubbly attitude contrasted with his seatmate's calm exterior. "I'm a big fan of architecture—the complex the better!"

Hunter nodded, biting back a reply about the military base' strict rules. _You'd be fired on sight_, he thought to himself, almost robotically. Suddenly, a string of memories pounced on him like a wolf to its prey. They were flashes of pain and unneeded catharsis.

"—Hunter?"

Shaking his head, Hunter looked at Grant. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You just zoned out over there. You okay? If you're feeling nauseous, I can take out a bag."

"It's fine," the blue-haired teen assured him with a smile. "I appreciate the concern."

To dispel the silence he knew would come after, Hunter asked what Grant had been talking about. The chubby teen then told him of his other love, mechanics. Apparently the little race cars he would receive at Christmas were enough to pique his attention. Grant then asked him if there were any fighter jets or tanks back at the military base, to which Hunter nodded. Then the nostalgia came back, and he tried hard to repress it.

"Okay, I'm taking out a bag," declared Grant.

"No, I'm fine." But it was useless to argue, Hunter soon realized. Grant was too nice, too merciful.

_But nice gets you nowhere_, echoed a voice in his head.

* * *

He was flying behind them, his enormous wings flapping with enough power to sail an armada on a windless day. Chris had been silently tailing the plane. The first phase of Operation Animalia was going well, and now it was time for the chaos to start.

Chris swooped over to the plane's left. With reckless precision, he rammed the side with his scaly figure.

* * *

"What was that?!" Jake yelped, alerted again by his fear of heights.

"Probably some turbulence," April assured.

Andrew shook his head. "That's unlikely. I've looked out of the window and calculated our position as well as the weather patterns. We haven't hit any low pressure systems."

"He's right," added Allison, who was uncharacteristically serious.

"You would know that; you're a _scientist_." But even Sebastian couldn't pull off his sarcastic edge in the current situation.

Another jolt. The intercom buzzed with the voice of a cranky pilot. "_Attention brats, this is your captain speaking. I'd apologize for the turbulence but I'm not Mother Nature's damn babysitter, so I suggest you sit tight and curl up!_"

"It's not turbulence!"

"Whatever it is, we better do what he says!"

Another jolt sent them into a quaking frenzy.

Piper yelled. "Natalie, get back to your seat!"

"No! I need to investigate the problem. Now, where's the exit?"

Frustrated, Maureen turned to the agent. "JUST GET TO YOUR SEAT!"

Everything was shaking. A certain boom caught everyone's attention.

"Thunder," was all April said.

"I don't think so," Grant piped up. "I've studied mechanics; I know an engine explosion when I hear one."

The plane suddenly lurched downwards. Everybody screamed as they went down in flames, down to a certain island. They were hurtling like a bullet shot from above, plummeting like a bird shot in the sky. The sound was deafening.

It was too bad. Mathias was about to tell them that he saw a legendary creature just outside his window.

But he might save that for later.

* * *

**The action will begin next chapter. The above is just a teaser :P**

**Hope I did your character justice. And don't worry, they'll all have their moment in the spotlight!**

**/terminated**


	4. Everybody Survived?

She remembered everyone getting out of their seats and going to the nearest exit. She remembered the life-jackets being discarded for something much more desirable—parachutes. Not one to take risks, Piper took both. It was why she and Andrew were still floating even after their safe descent.

"Oh my god." She gasped when the plane crashed on an island just meters away from them. "Oh my god, Andrew! There were people in there!"

"I know," was his reply. "We need to get going; the air in these life-jackets will keep us afloat for two hours, but dehydration and exposure to sun could still claim us." He started swimming, but Piper didn't. She was horrified by their situation and just floated there, numb.

"Piper."

"You think they survived?"

Exasperation radiated from his voice. "Piper, we need to swim."

"I told them to stay in their seats. I told them not to reach for the life-jackets because we'd be fine."

"Piper—"

"_Andrew!_" the prep yelled, and Andrew finally shut up and let her talk. "We were in a plane crash! As far as I know, we're the only ones who got out!"

She told them to stay, even as they were plummeting down to their deaths. Of course, everybody ignored her. Seeing how stupid she was being, Piper removed her seatbelt and headed for the life-jackets everybody was fussing about. That was until someone found parachute bags stashed in the compartments. It must've been mob mentality, but everybody went for those instead. It was just her luck that Andrew gave her a bag for a life-jacket.

The exit was jammed. The others tried to open it—Piper tried telling them that there was another one she found mysteriously ajar. Nobody listened. Fearing for her life, Piper had dragged Andrew with her and jumped off the plane.

She saved them.

_But I could've saved everyone else._

"We aren't."

Piper blinked. Andrew pointed at the sky, at the other parachutes descending.

"We need to go," he said, softly. "To meet them."

* * *

Natalie loved Marvel, DC and the occasional Archie comics. From a young age she had always wanted to feel the threat of a bullet past her cheek and an explosion rock her bones. Which was funny considering she experienced the latter just 30,000 feet from the air.

That would've made her excited—Natalie admitted that her love for superheroes made her a bit obsessed—but gasping for air after nearly drowning in seawater was hardly a place to start fangirling. She spat the salty water from her mouth, her bun miraculously still intact. Natalie observed her surroundings and spotted a shore. _Good, I can swim there._

But then she heard gurgling, the kind associated with someone screaming just before they drowned. Natalie turned to the noises and found Grant and Issac's heads just disappear from her view. Cursing, Natalie expertly swam towards them. She managed to grab Grant by his arm, but she had to dive to get Issac. The two were heavy, but that didn't stop the agent.

_This is all part of your training, Agent Johansson._

She finally reached land after a tiring swim. Dragging Grant and Issac with her, Natalie collapsed onto the gritty sand and tried to catch her breath. _All part of your training_, she thought before the ache in her legs increased tenfold. _Gah, who am I kidding? Those two better thank me when they wake up, if they aren't already dead._

They weren't. Natalie found two pulses and thankfully didn't have to initiate CPR.

"Smoke," she muttered. Indeed she found a tail of smoke coming from the east. "Must be the plane. The others could be there."

She glanced at Grant and Issac, frowning. Should she wake them up or drag them herself?

* * *

The last thing Sebastian witnessed before he blacked out was a dragon in the sky.

He told himself it was just his mind playing tricks, just like how stars would appear after he'd been punched. But when he opened his eyes and met pure blue, he realized he was sinking.

_No_, he thought, watching the bubbles escape from his mouth. He thrashed and screamed even though it was only doing him more harm than good. _No no no! Damn it! I need to swim up! Up! DAMN!_

He probably should've taken swimming lessons when he was young, but his parents would've disagreed. His parents. Sebastian was hit with a memory where he was also in the water, soapy with suds and unable to breathe. He wasn't sinking.

He was drowning.

Sebastian felt hands grip his arms. For a moment he thought they belonged to his parents. But a wave of oxygen overwhelmed him as he was pulled from the ocean's depths. Sebastian coughed and saw his rescuer's face bathed under the sunlight.

"H—How?" he stuttered.

Madison held him up with her arm. "You're not Hawaiian if you can't save someone from the ocean."

* * *

He had saved someone. He didn't mean to, but it was worth it if it would earn her trust.

Mathias held Maureen bridal style as they went ashore. He lay her down carefully on the sand and checked her pulse. It was faint. Since she was still alive, Mathias leaned forward to give her air. But his rescue was cut short when Maureen rolled to her side and coughed.

_Oh well_, thought the handsome man as he slipped off his parachute. He looked back to see a pair trudge from the water. Maria Santiago and Jake Astin, if he remembered correctly.

"T-That was the scariest thing I've ever done," Jake stuttered, eyes darting around. Beside him Maria rolled her eyes.

"But you survived."

"Yeah, but you pushed me! I was so scared I almost didn't pull the cord!"

"_N__o es mi problema_," was all the Hispanic said before noticing Mathias. "You okay, _amigo_?" she asked him.

"_Si_," he replied. "I'm not so sure about Maureen though."

"She dead?"

A cough.

"Nope, she's fine."

When Maria went to check on Maureen, Mathias decided to look around. The island had a jungle and a looming volcano at the distance. Something told him that it wasn't dormant. "This island... it's a tropical one."

"There must be people here, right?"

"Yes," Mathias said to Jake, "but we might be those people."

* * *

The plane was a sight to behold. It was half-buried in sand, smoke filtering out of its engines and flickers of fire licking the air. The clean, white plating was dirtied with sand. It lay teetered on one side, the suspended wing giving shade to April.

She was glad that Hunter had helped her. Without him she would've been screwed, especially in the water. It wasn't even that hard—she just asked him with her puppy eyes and that was it. _Even gave me the life-jacket and everything. How_ _nice._

April watched as Allison climbed out of the plane through the exit, the same one that wouldn't budge until they opened it at the last minute. "Find anything?" she asked.

The wannabe scientist shook her head. "Nothing. And the door to the cargo hold is really tough. I'm gonna need an axe or something to open it."

"Maybe you could ask Hunter to make one."

Allison chuckled. "Just 'cause he used to be in the military doesn't mean he's some Bear Grylls. Besides, he's gone into the jungle to look for other survivors."

"In that case, we should too." April stood up, hating the way seawater clung to her skin. She shivered when she realized just how _cold_ she was.

Allison must've noticed because she slipped off her lab coat and offered it to her. "It's fine," she said when April declined. "I'm dry and you aren't."

Thankfully, April took the coat from her. _Wow, that was easier than I thought._ "Shall we get going then?"

"_Not so fast._"

The pair were enveloped in the shadow of something large, something who spoke with a deep, guttural voice. Slowly, April and Allison turned around, eyes wide.

* * *

Far away, a certain pilot watched as his friend transformed into his beast form. "That's the signal," Chef said as he braced himself for his own transformation. The amulet strung around his neck glowed a deep blue, the engraving on it resembling that of a legendary sea monster. Chef's limbs grew and multiplied into turquoise tentacles tipped with arrowheads. He swept them across the ocean, creating tides that headed for the island.

The plan? To drive those brats towards Chris and provide a little entertainment.

Smirking, the Leviathan disappeared under the water.

* * *

"This is so not cool!"

Natalie ran for her life upon seeing plenty of palm trees crashing against a cerulean hazard. Thankfully she managed to get Issac and Grant awake, otherwise she'd been slowed down with two ball and chains.

"How close is it?!" Grant yelled. He was exhausted like Issac, but adrenaline kept him on his feet.

Natalie looked back. "Um," she said, "it's pretty close so HURRY UP AND MOVE!"

She slapped her hands on their backs and urged them to go faster, faster, _faster_. Like the Flash! Oh how she wished for a superpower right now.

* * *

They'd been swimming in silence to the shore when he spoke.

"Thanks."

Madison faced him with an unreadable expression on her face. It was something she'd perfected back in Hawaii, because blushing meant you were interested in that guy whether he had an ugly heart or not. "You're welcome," she said.

"I mean it," Sebastian added. "I could've died."

And he did mean it. Madison saw nothing but sincerity in Sebastian's eyes, not the usual sarcasm she picked up back at the plane. She smiled, soft yet meaningful.

They dragged themselves up on the beach, Sebastian removing his life-jacket to get rid of the extra weight. He turned to Madison, wanting to know if they were somewhere she knew, but he looked away when he saw her wet tank top. "You, uh, wanna wear the life-jacket?" he asked, flushing.

Madison nodded. She knew why he asked; in fact, she was grateful that he did.

"I knew there were others."

Sebastian and Madison turned to the unknown voice, but relaxed when it was just Hunter. The blue-haired teen then told them of the plane and April and Allison and all of it meant nothing when he saw what was behind them.

"Hey, what's wrong—?"

* * *

He looked back and cursed their luck.

Piper and Andrew were frantically swimming for their lives. They were so close to land yet so far, the last vestiges of their energy already fading. Andrew pulled the prep close to him and swam, dammit, swam! "It's not possible," he huffed, kicking his legs and wishing they had flippers. "A tsunami doesn't just happen like this! The weather and timing are all wrong!"

"No offense," Piper said, "but shut up and save your breath!"

_So close_, Andrew thought, _exactly ten meters away. We'll make it!_

But while a last-minute escape was known to garner ratings, inevitable death was a better plot twist.

All efforts of escaping the tsunami were futile for the two teens.

* * *

Maria was a natural runner. She knew the right terrain for running—what made it easy and what made it challenging. She was sure that when she took a step, sand didn't just tremble _that_ much. "Something's wrong. The sand, it's weird."

"I've noticed," Mathias replied. "It's been doing that the whole time."

"You sure we should follow the coastline?" Maureen asked. Beside her was a deflated Jake, who had stopped chatting when Maureen told him that 'it was the wrong place, wrong time'. Maria didn't mind her _amigo_ chatting. It sure kept her mind off other things, like the plane crash.

"We'd get lost in the jungle. It's much safer, _amiga_."

"You say that and yet the sand is weird," Maureen deadpanned.

"Does not mean we are in danger."

"Does it? I can feel sand bouncing on my feet."

"_Chica loca__._"

"Hey! I know what you said! I'm just saying that we shouldn't take any chances!"

"Girls, calm down," Mathias said as he stood in between the two. "We shouldn't be fighting when there is a dragon around."

Maria and Maureen looked at him as if he was crazy.

"_What?_"

"_¿Qué?_"

"If you don't believe me, you can look behind you. Jake is currently being held captive along with April, Natalie, Grant, Piper, Issa—"

* * *

"Sebastian. Sebastian, wake up!"

He coughed several times before he could reply. Sebastian briefly recalled a giant wave before he had blacked out, _again_. Madison looked concerned when she helped him up. "Where are we?" he asked, vision blurry. "Where's the other guy?"

"Hunter? He's... the others..."

Sebastian blinked a few times, adjusting himself to the light. He could see a large beast perched above a plane, people crowded underneath it like they were its dinner—_wait_.

"_I'm so glad you've finally awoken,_" said the beast.

"You." Sebastian didn't bother hiding his emotions behind a mask; he was absolutely terrified. He wasn't alone. The others from the plane were either confused or utterly speechless, and he could feel Madison shudder beside him. "I—I saw you in the sky. Were you the one—?"

"_Yes,_" the dragon interrupted, "_I did crash the plane. But it was all part of the fun, you see. Come on, give yourselves some shade. I will explain everything._" The way it spoke seemed friendly, but Sebastian knew better. He had gangsters use the same tone to him once.

Nevertheless, he and Madison joined up with the others.

* * *

**I was going to write more in Chris' POV, but I decided I'd do that for the next chapter (because I switched POVs a LOT here). At least you guys got some action, right?**

** Forever8Phoenix, sorry about that. I also wanted Natalie to provide some comedy :3**

**Everyone, thank you for the reviews! It certainly helped with the writing. Next chapter should be up next week since its just Chris explaining and doing the amulet ceremony :D  
**

**/terminated**


	5. Welcome to the Island

Second phase of Operation Animalia was a success. _I can't wait to show them who I really am._

His 14 victims looked weary with their life-jackets and parachutes, waiting for an explanation. The network trusted Chris to handle things, and he did in true McClean style. Yeah, he did a lucky dip with a hat full of names, but these teens were _tough_. Chris was sure some of them would die even before the plane crashed.

He'd read their application forms (for the trip, not for the show). Most of them were boooring, though a couple could be for laughs. Two would probably become the antagonists. Ha, the more drama the better!

Chris looked at his victims one by one, enjoying their fear.

He grinned.

"_Welcome to the island. I know all of you are going 'where are we?' and 'what's with the tsunami?' and 'why is there a freakin' dragon talking to us?!'._" He paused. "_Don't worry, everything will be explained. First of all, you're on an island cut off from the rest of the world. There's no wifi or signals, so don't bother calling home. Spelling S.O.S with pebbles won't even work. Because guess what?_" Chris' malevolent laugh was amplified in his dragon form. "_You guys have been chosen to be compete in a TV reality show! It might not feel like it, with the tsunami and all, but we brought some magic-wizardy stuff to make it more interesting. But before I go any further..._"

Then it happened. Slowly, Chris grew smaller and smaller until he was in his human form. With his slick gelled hair, outdoorsy attire and million dollar grin, Chris didn't look half as scary as he did before. "Tada!" he said, arms wide open.

Disbelief bloomed on their faces.

"WHAT?!" Maureen shouted, the first to react. "Y—You're—!"

"Chris McClean, your one and only host! Also a legally fake escort."

"So you tricked us?!"

"Weeeelll, _yeah_." Chris snickered. It was genius of him to disguise himself as an exchange student escort (even though it was Chef's idea). Conning those teens was easy with his _irresistible_ charm.

"But you were a dragon!" Jake pointed out.

"That was the magic-wizardy stuff. See this thing here?" Hopping down from the plane, he held up a round, gold disc engraved with a dragon. "This is an amulet. It gives you the powers of the animal on it and, if you're awesome like me, you can access the beast form. As you already know, mine's a dragon. Pretty cool, huh?"

Chris then walked to a crate and removed the lid. "As contestants of this show, you guys get to have your own amulets."

The amulets were a long story. When they were scouring the world for the perfect place to base the show on, Chris knew exactly where to go. He knew the island from a legend passed down his family from generation to generation. It started with his great-great-great-great-great grandfather, an explorer who found the stash of amulets on the island when he went exploring in the Bermuda.

_These kids better treat them with respect. My great-great-great-great-great grandfather didn't go through a load of crap just to have these amulets owned by this bunch!_

Speaking of brats:

"I don't want mine," Sebastian proclaimed. "I'm not taking part in your show!"

"Me neither!" Maureen agreed. "You should feel ashamed! We were freakin' scared for our lives falling from the sky and running from a damn tsunami!"

"It's not my fault I had to add some drama!"

"Whatever! I'm getting on the first boat I see, I'm leaving!"

A vein popped on Chris' forehead. _Great, rebels. Too bad, they're messing with the wrong person._ "Fine, who am I to force you to compete for your freedom?"

Maureen stopped. "Wait, what?"

There was a dangerous glint in Chris' eyes. "Oh? Didn't I tell you? You're not just here to have fun and play games. It's a _reality game show_. There _will_ be one winner, and that person _will_ get to leave this island."

"That doesn't sound like a giant reward," Andrew said.

"Oh, but it is. Because then the rest of you losers are trapped here, _forever_."

Everybody gasped. "You can't do that!" Sebastian yelled, but Chris could sense his doubt.

"Oh, but I can. I'm the host. If you don't listen to me, then good luck surviving on your own. There's no camera guys, no interns, nothing that can help you get off this island."

Maureen was furious. "Why are you doing this to us? Are we just some sick entertainment for you?!"

"As a matter-of-fact, you _are_." The host dropped his charismatic facade to reveal the ugly heart inside. "_Welcome campers, to_ _Total Drama Animalia._"

The air grew tense, the teens stiffening under it. It was as though Chris' aura was a plethora of tentacles strangling them in a suffocating nightmare. But then he took an 180 degree turn back to his smiling self, and boy did he capitalize on that.

"Now," Chris said as he beckoned to the crate full of amulets, "let's give these out, shall we? We've only got so many minutes in one episode!"

"Um, do we choose our own?" Grant asked.

"Nope! You'll get the animal the represents you the best. For example—" Chris took out an amulet and threw it to Grant, who caught it, "—**Grant, your one's a Bear.** Congratulations!"

_Grant, a tubby guy who likes gears n' stuff. He's more like a teddy bear than a grizzly! But he does get defensive about his family issues. Only when provoked, though._

Grant was entranced by the amulet, which had an engraving of a grizzly. "Woah, is this real gold?"

"Might be," Chris shrugged, taking out another amulet. "**Madison, Dolphin!**"

_Madison, a typical Hawaiian girl who can fire-twirl. I guess she's graceful like a dolphin, and nice too. But other than that, nothing interesting. _

"It's beautiful," Madison said after catching it.

Chris rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever. **Hunter, Wolf!**"

"Wait," Hunter said when he received his, "can I change mine?"

_I guess making Hunter a wolf brings back a lot of memories. Too bad._

"Nope! **Jake, Horse!**"

Jake was confused. "Why am I a Horse?"

"You'll find out later," Chris lied, throwing the amulet at him.

_Even I have to say that Jake should be a parrot, with his blabbering and all. But he's kinda jumpy and enthusiastic, so horse it is._

"**April, Fox!**"

April accepted hers in amusement.

_Well, she knows. April, while cute and innocent on the inside, is a slippery devil in the inside. A true vixen!_

"**Allison, Owl!**"

"Interesting," Allison said as she examined her amulet. "I wonder what properties it has. Magical or not, I'll find out!"

_Allison, the wannabe mad scientist who's also a klutz. _Pretty ironic since she's supposed to be wise_. She'll give a good laugh._

"**Andrew, Bat!**"

"I don't think I represent a Bat," Andrew said, but he caught his anyway.

_Andrew, the human calculator. Another boring person. Maybe's that's why he's a bat._

"**Piper, **Red Panda**!**"

As soon as Piper caught hers, she shifted away from Andrew. Chris smirked. A_h, of course. I wonder how Piper will act 'round him now. Dunno why hers is a red panda, they're boring!_

"**Mathias, **Lion**!**"

"Gladly," said the teen as he caught his.

_Mathias, the handsome teen who's still a little mysterious. Hehe, I've got my eye on him!_

"**Natalie, **Panther**!**"

Natalie caught hers happily. "Black Panther, huh? Kind of like the Black Widow..."

_Natalie, the wannabe secret agent who survived a fall from the plane without a parachute. Might be a bit loopy, but I hear her temper is worse than a panther's!_

"**Maria, **Springbok**!**"

"A what?" she asked, but received the amulet with no answer.

_Maria, the Hispanic runner from Spain. I don't know what a springbok is, but I'm guessing they're as fast as her!_

"**Issac, **Crow**!**"

There was no one to catch it. "Issac? Hellooo?" Chris couldn't find him in the crowd, so it was a big surprise when he felt a tap behind him. "AAAH!"

Issac held up his hands. "Relax, it's me. I was just exploring the plane..."

Chris jabbed a finger at him. "Don't_ ever_ do that with me again, dude!" _Issac, the stalkerish teen who creeps me out! I'm hoping the others will vote him out so I don't have to see him again!_ He threw Issac's amulet at him with more force than necessary.

"Next up,whiners **Sebastian, **Snake ****and**** Maureen, Coyote**!**"

The two teens caught theirs indignantly, Maureen looking as though she'd throw hers back. Right in Chris' forehead.

* * *

The amulets were unlike anything they'd seen before. Some of them were a bit unsure about theirs, some were content, and others just didn't want to be there. But there was no escaping the host, not while he was still wearing his own amulet.

"Now that that's done, let's get onto the teams!" Piper raised her hand, effectively cutting Chris off from his next sentence. "Yes?" he asked, irked.

"I just want to know where our accommodations are," she said. "Also what the living arrangements will be, the schedule, the rules of the game—"

"HOLD ON! Those will come later! Right now let's set up the teams—clock's a-ticking!" Chris brought an arm down the middle of the crowd. "You'll be split into teams of seven. Right side, you'll be the Tsunami Titans! Left side, you'll be the Lava Lords!" Some cringed at the names, but Chris didn't care. Mathias, Andrew, Piper, Natalie, Issac, Maria and Maureen made up the Titans, while April, Allison, Sebastian, Hunter, Madison, Jake and Grant made up the Lords. "Alright, now that the teams have been set, shall we get onto the first challenge?"

"Woah, _senor_," Maria said, "can we rest first? We're tired from this morning, with the running and all. _Ni siquiera puedo sentir mis piernas_..."

"Sorry, but if we do that then it won't make much sense. You see, the winner of this challenge gets to pick where they live!"

"But what are the choices?" Grant asked.

"Anything in this island apart from the volcano. If I were you, I'd choose the plane."

Everybody turned to the giant piece of machinery. Even though it wasn't operable, it provided shelter and the small chance of food. It was clear to them now—lose, and that team would have to survive in the jungle.

"The first challenge is a simple treasure hunt. Scattered around this island are six totem pieces, three for each team. They're the Lion, the Crow and the Fox. Once you've found them, come back here and stack them in that order."

Mathias pondered. "Can we steal from the other team?"

Chris smirked, already liking the male's train of thought. "I wish, but they're dyed in your team colors. Titans are blue, Lords are red."

Another hand shot up. It was Jake's. "Um, I don't get why I have a Horse amulet. I don't run a lot and I don't have a long face and stuff."

"The animal you get is the one that represents you the best. For example, your amulet says that you're happy and full of freedom."

"Can I change mine?" Hunter asked, looking extremely persistent.

"Nope!" Chris said, dismissing the topic. "You have a challenge to do. Because I'm not totally heartless, I should tell you that one of the pieces is in the jungle. So go on! Let the challenge begin!"

But the teens—campers—merely grunted in disinterest. Annoyed, Chris' eyes glowed red as he transformed into his monstrous form once more. This time, he growled with a flurry of flames:

"_I said, **let the challenge begin!**_"

And with that, everybody scattered in fright.

* * *

He waited for the other Titans to catch up. Mathias tried to catch his breath beside Natalie, who despite the crap Chris had put them through was still standing strong. He had a plan, one that was sure to get them the plane. And their trust. "I have a plan."

"So do I," Andrew said as he settled beside Piper. Strangely, the prep shifted away from him. Mathias noticed that her eyes darted to his amulet, which was a Bat. He made a mental note to explore that further. "I suggest that we split into pairs. Two groups will search in the jungle since it's denser, while the other will scour the beach and beneath those cliffs."

"We have seven members," Mathias pointed out.

"I know. You didn't let me finish." The way Andrew said it was almost accusatory. "One person will be a sort of messenger; they'll collect the totems we find and bring it back to base, whilst filling us in on the other team's status. Although, this person has to run a lot."

"I run fast," Maria said with a grin. "I run back in my _escuela_ and have the best track time."

Andrew nodded. "Alright, Maria will be our runner. Who wants to search the jungle with Piper and I?" Piper start to protest before Natalie cut her off.

"Leave the coastline to me," the agent wannabe piped up, "and that creepy guy. Wherever he is."

_Spying on us from a tree_, Mathias thought, who already noticed the teen's presence as soon as they'd arrived. It was a bit unnerving, really.

"Then it's settled. Natalie, find Issac and search the coastline. Maria, keep an ear out for our calls. The rest of us will stay here."

Mathias wanted to disagree, but his teammate's plan was nearly impossible to fault. Andrew was smart, _too_ smart if he had to be honest. But Mathias had a quiet combative side to him. "Is it fair that Maria should shoulder the pressure of delivering the totems?" _What if we lose and she has to shoulder the blame?_

"If she says she can run, she can run," was Andrew's terse reply.

"_El __capitán_ has faith."

_Captain._ Mathias hoped to seize that title but Andrew had beat him to it. _Then again_, he thought, _I suppose I could weave my web from the shadows. If it comes to it, I'll__ let him shoulder the blame._

* * *

"We're not really doing this, are we?"

"We don't have a choice," Hunter said to a sulky Sebastian. "I know it's not ideal, but we need to win. I have a plan in mind, is it alright if I take the lead?"

April giggled. "Lead away, captain." The others nodded in agreement. Hunter smiled, yes, this was what he liked, leading a team.

"We search in groups. Two in the jungle, two on the beach and three at the cliffs."

"Shouldn't we have an extra person in the jungle since it's, you know, jungley?" Jake asked.

"Good point, but I have something else in mind. Ever hear of stealth missions? I overheard the other team's plan. They're planning to send four people in the jungle. Now, my hunch is that Chris will hide the totems close to each other."

"Why?"

"Did you hear him when Mathias asked if we could steal from one another? Chris wants us to sabotage the other team."

"Steal their totem and hide it. Or barricade them from it." Allison's eyes widened. "If you think about it, there are a lot of options."

"Yes, but we're not sabotaging the other team. We'll play fair." It wasn't strategic, but Hunter had developed a code ever since he left. Although, if the Titans acted first then he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate. "Allison and Grant, can I trust you to tail the other team going into the jungle?"

The pair grinned. "Leave it to us."

"Sebastian and Madison, beach?"

Madison nodded. "As long as we get this over with," Sebastian mumbled.

Hunter didn't blame him. "That means April and Jake, you're with me. Everybody fine with the plan?"

They were all fine with it. It was strange for the blue-haired teen who was used to fighting for the alpha spot. Suddenly, Hunter held his Wolf amulet. He made himself promise that no matter what, he'd try to redeem his sins by leading the Lords to victory.

And escape the island.

* * *

**Should I write longer chapters? Next chapter is bound to be longer, since I'm just gonna cram the first challenge it. Hopefully, since my update schedule was interrupted by school (noo!) xP  
**

**And yeah, the amulet ceremony sucks. I realized that it would drag on, so I just wrote it slapstick-style. Don't worry, the campers will (try to) use their amulets next challenge!**

** TDSuperFan, yeah, I was wondering why FF was having a fit. I wanted to see everyone's lovely reviews :3 Btw, THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST /sprinkles everyone with love and confetti**

**TEAMS:**

**Tsunami Titans: Mathias, Andrew, Piper, Natalie, Issac, Maria, Maureen**

**Lava Lords: April, Allison, Sebastian**, Hunter**, Madison, Jake, Grant**

**AMULETS:**

**Grant - Bear**

**Madison - Dolphin**

**Hunter - Wolf**

**Jake - Horse**

**April - Fox**

**Allison - Owl**

**Andrew - Bat**

**Piper - Red Panda**

**Mathias - Lion**

**Natalie - Panther**

**Maria - Springbok**

**Issac - Crow**

**Sebastian - Snake**

**Maureen - Coyote**

**/terminated**


	6. Totem Hunters and Totem Racers

The only reason Natalie wanted to be with Issac was because she didn't trust him. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer, they say. So when she found him disappearing in the over-sized leaves of a palm tree, she clambered up another and spied on him. Natalie read his movements. It looked like Issac was writing something on a notebook (where did he get that?) and had a makeshift bag slung over his shoulder. _Strange_, Natalie thought. _HQ, I'm ratting him out! I repeat, I'm—_

"Natalie?"

She nearly fell off. "AH—Issac! Y—You saw me?"

"Uh, yeah," Issac confirmed. "Why were you stalking me?"

"Speak for yourself." Natalie cocked her head below to where Andrew and Piper were strolling along, eyes narrowing. "I saw you in the plane. I don't know what you're intentions are, but if you harm them then I won't hesitate to kick your butt."

"Woah! Relax, I won't kill them or anything."

"You sure act suspicious," she retorted. "And where did you get all those stuff?!"

"From the plane, when Chris was talking. Thought I'd get a head-start. And I'm not a stalker!" Issac added, though Natalie could detect a lie when she heard one. Sort of. "I'm just keeping tabs on them... because _they_ told me to."

"Who?"

"... HQ."

"You're lying. There's no HQ."

"Wait, so why were you talking to one before?"

"That was practice for when I _do_ work for one. Someday."

"I do. I work for the FBI. They sent me on this trip because this has happened before. An off-chart flight supposedly for Canada, yet no records of the plane actually landing." Issac dramatically sighed. "I didn't think it was true... I should've warned everyone."

"Wait." Natalie went slackjawed. "You're really an agent?"

"Uh, yeah. Agent Smith. Of, uh, the Bravo Squad. I know we have a challenge to do, but I have... _a mission_."

Suddenly, the agent wannabe slid down from the tree and saluted. "I apologize for the interruption. Do the country proud, Agent Smith." Then she added, "But if you're lying then I'll choke you. With your intestines."

"Um, sure... Agent Johansson."

With a nod, Natalie sprinted straight for the cliffs.

* * *

He had pinched himself countless times to snap him from his dream (or nightmare). Sebastian wanted to wake up and feel the comfort of his seat, the silence as he stared out of the window wondering if his brother was okay. Instead, he was left with the sandy beach and a sore cheek.

_I'm going to kill Chris..._

"You okay?" Madison's voice brought him back to reality. Sebastian shook his head, earning himself a concerned look from his teammate. "I know you're angry. We've been through a lot."

"It's not that just that. Chris acts as if he _owns_ us. I don't want to be some puppet he can dangle around for his entertainment. The worse thing is that I don't know how to cut the strings." Madison fixed him with a stare. "What?" he asked.

"I didn't know you were a poet."

Sebastian flushed. "N—No, I just like to write a lot... it's a hobby of mine." _If Duncan saw me now, he'd be laughing his ass off._

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. The guys back at my hometown always serenaded the girls, and they were really cheesy."

"Wouldn't that usually be romantic? A guy with a ukelele is singing to you, probably fire-twirling with his feet and riding a dolphin at the same time."

He hadn't expected her to laugh.

"Is that what you think us Hawaiians do?" Madison spoke in between giggles. Then she quieted down, and Sebastian was surprised to see a sad smile on her face. "Not from where I live. Where I live, the men are like coconuts. The good ones give you milk. The rotten ones are just hollow inside."

He didn't like seeing her like that. Sebastian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You do realize that you've just shamed them on national TV, right?"

It was a while before they stopped laughing.

"Hey," the Snake-teen said, pointing at something in the horizon. "Is that...?"

"It's a totem," Madison gasped.

"It's so far away! How does Chris expect us to swim that distance?!"

Madison patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I've had a lot of practice swimming away from rotten coconuts." She removed the life-jacket and gave it to Sebastian. Before she could slip off her amulet, he stopped her.

"No, keep it. Chris said something about powers, didn't he?"

"You think it would help?"

"It better."

* * *

She wouldn't take part in Chris' crap if she had a choice, but she didn't, and now she was playing maid to someone else, someone who she absolutely hated. Maureen wasn't the type to complain, not unless it involved other people's safety. She tried hard not to stamp on the ground like an enraged bull, or swat away branches like her arm was a machete, but it was becoming increasingly difficult in the heat.

Maureen felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Mathias holding up his jacket over his head like an umbrella. "Want to share?" he asked.

The company wasn't so bad.

"Thanks," she said as they trudged in the jungle. The canopy was thick enough to provide shade, but it was way too humid. Mathias' jacket helped since he had soaked it in cold seawater. Though, it wouldn't be long before it would dry up.

"For the jacket or before that?"

"Both," she replied. "I thought I could swim, but without you I would've been screwed. Without your jacket now we would be screwed."

"Chris is unforgiving, isn't he? He sounded so nice when I met him."

"I know! He's going to pay after this."

Mathias shook his head. "I wouldn't want to anger him. He's part-dragon after all. And remember when he said our amulets represented us? In some myths, dragons were terrifying masters of all elements."

"I bet if we inflate his ego, he'll just burst like a balloon," Maureen snarked.

Mathias chuckled. "Typical Coyote, always seeing the humor in the worst of situations."

"Me, funny? You're kidding." She nudged him with her elbow. "And what about you? You're a Lion; you must brave and strong."

"Glad of you to notice."

"Oi, you're just as egotistical as Chris!"

The company was pretty good.

* * *

As long as he didn't climb, Jake was fine with the cliffs. He was fine staring at them from below because that didn't mean his feet were detached from the ground, no, it definitely wasn't that. And even if they were, he wouldn't be scared, no, he'd be enjoying the view and getting drunk in the adrenaline of it all. He certainly wouldn't be trembling at how high it was, no!

_GAH I'M THE WORST HIKER EVER! I haven't climbed anything higher than the balcony back home!_

"Jake, if you don't want to do it—"

"NO. I can do it!" He shrugged from April's grip. "I have to! If I don't do this now then I can't call myself a hiker!"

"I was about to say that I could do it. You don't have to do it right away, and if I'm being completely honest, you stalling in the middle of the challenge isn't really helping."

"Oh." Jake tore his gaze away from his rocky doom to the Fox-teen. "I guess I can always try after... but wait. How can _you_ climb?"

April winked. "I'm a gymnast, remember?" She started clambering up the cliff, her petite hands expertly gripping the rock. Their target was their Crow totem suspended under the overhang of the cliff—from the bottom, it was high enough so that they would have to climb; from the top, it would be impossible to reach. Next to it was the Titans' Crow totem, which Hunter made April promise not to take.

"I feel useless," Jake admitted to Hunter as they watched.

Hunter tried to comfort him. "You can cheer for her, can't you?"

The Horse-teen smiled. Cupping his hands around his mouth, Jake shouted, "Go April!"

* * *

Andrew wasn't a genius. Sure he could figure stuff out, but if he didn't have the facts then he couldn't make connections. That was the case with one of his most recent problems: Piper Leona.

She was a good friend, a bit clingy to the rule book but a friend nonetheless. Andrew hadn't found a friend who was both smart and nice (and pretty). He was sure that Piper didn't have a problem with him either, but as they trudged in the jungle, he noticed that she was becoming... distant. Piper would never walk beside him, always behind. And whenever he wanted to help her step down from a high ledge, she'd (vehemently) refuse.

It was driving him crazy.

"Piper."

"Huh? What?"

_She won't even look at me!_ "Why are you afraid of me?" He saw her flinch. _Jackpot._

"I'm not afraid of you," she said, a bit too fast. "I'm just afraid... of something."

Andrew sighed. "Piper, just say what's wrong with me. I know I can be a little harsh, but I honestly don't think I'm _that_ scary."

"There's nothing wrong with you!"

"Then why do you keep staring?"

Andrew could see her trying to form a valid lie whilst staring at his chest. _His chest_. But just before he could rat her out, Piper spoke.

"Because—I _hate_ that plaid shirt."

_... I can't tell if that's a lie or not._ Andrew shook his head and decided that Piper was telling the truth, but not the full truth. "We don't have time for this; we need to get the totems."

Onwards they trudged. Their conversation had left Andrew in a bad mood. It was always irritating when he couldn't figure something out. Except for things like love or empathy, which were too complex to even _try_ and decipher. That might've been why Andrew never had luck in any of those things. But he didn't know whether it was because he couldn't piece the puzzle... or whether he had to find the pieces first.

Minutes passed, and the heat was really starting to get to him. Seeking shade, Andrew headed to a copse. But he tripped over a large root and found himself on the other side. Grimacing, Andrew heard Piper yell after him. Turning around, he was surprised to see a giant cave yawning before him_. _

_Well that looks ominous. It's unusual to find a cave in the middle of the jungle, especially one the size of a house._

"You think a totem is in there?" Piper asked from behind him.

"It's too obvious," Andrew replied, "so yes, I'm certain. Chris is trying to lure us into a trap, but he knows that we can't resist. He knows that in the middle of this jungle, this cave is our best lead. We have to go in."

"Without light?"

"You won't need light," a voice spoke. Startled, Andrew and Piper turned around. The mystery voice revealed to be Allison's as she and Grant stepped out of a copse. "Chris said our amulets gave us powers. If we use them, we can see in the dark just fine."

"You followed us," Andrew stated. He had a feeling they hadn't arrived here 'just in time'. _And I didn't notice them!_

"Sorry," Grant sheepishly apologized.

Piper's brows furrowed. "Wait, what do you mean if we use our amulets?"

"Allison's saying that your animals have good night vision," Andrew explained. "It's just a matter of activating that ability for yourselves. The first one to do so has the advantage."

"But... bats don't have good night vision."

"Exactly."

Piper frowned. "So I have to activate my amulet before them?"

"Yup."

"... You're mean."

"I know."

Piper sighed. "Fine, I'll take on the two of you."

"Bah, I don't do well under pressure," Allison shrugged, "but I'll try!"

The pair of pairs separated to either side of the cave for privacy. As soon as the Lords were out of earshot, Piper began to panic. "What should I do?! I don't even know how start!"

"Try thinking about a red panda. Picture it in the night," Andrew suggested.

Piper did as he said. _She closed her eyes and imagined a red panda slinking through the forest floor. It was dark. The rodent was well hidden in the undergrowth. When it came out of a bush, it opened its beady eyes, only Piper imagined them to be shining like stars—_

"Piper! Your amulet is glowing!"

The prep snapped out of her trance and looked down. The engravings on her amulet were outlined with a scarlet glow. There was a hum growing louder by the second. The glow then extended to Piper's own body, engulfing it in a warm blanket of red. It was all so ethereal that Piper was left speechless.

Andrew eyed his teammate in fascination. He didn't believe in magic, only dismissing them as paranormal circumstances or sleight of hand. When Chris turned into that dragon, Andrew still wasn't convinced. A foppish guy like Chris would blow the budget just to pull theatrics like that. But this? This was something else. This happened to one of them.

As Piper bid a haste goodbye and ran for the cave, Andrew could only wonder just what the other amulets were capable of.

* * *

Her power was amazing yet terrifying at the same time. Piper adjusted her eyes to the cave's darkness. Her vision was tinted with green just like those night-vision cameras she'd see in documentaries. The amulet's red glow had dimmed, much to Piper's dismay.

It was hard to look around. The cave was so big that Piper had to crane her neck all the way up just to see its dank ceiling. Stalactites peppered the ceiling like upside down valleys. She was careful not to make too much noise lest one fell on her. But she was more afraid of something else, something that was hairy and screechy and oh-so creepy—

A noise—

Piper squeaked.

The word "_Hurry!_" echoed throughout the cavern.

_Oh_, she thought, relieved. _It's just Grant. Wait, that means he activated his amulet!_ Not wanting to let her lead go to waste, Piper dashed away to scour an elusive totem.

It was ten minutes since she'd left sunlight. By then her eyes had completely adjusted to the darkness. Her red panda night vision, which had only let her see faint outlines, now revealed a whole world within the cave. Piper had seen spiders (yuck) and cave lichen (slimy). Both were disgusting, but as she approached what seemed to be a dead-end, she gasped.

A city of stalagmites welcomed her. They were clumped in ascending order to form a spiky hill. At the summit were two totems, both sporting a Lion's face. It was hard to distinguish which was her team's, but Piper wasn't a prep for nothing. As she was about to climb, Grant arrived. He was sweaty from running but still had enough energy to speak.

"Woah!" he exclaimed. "We're supposed to climb that?!"

"It shouldn't be too hard," Piper said.

It was. Stepping on the stalagmites proved too difficult as Piper and Grant would just slip off, even while holding onto others for support. It was also dangerous as some were capable of impaling them with one misstep. Frustrated and tired from exploring the cave, Piper sunk to the floor in defeat. _There has to be another way. Maybe my amulet could help?_

Even if there was, using her power drained a lot of her energy. Piper suspected it was a side effect. But it wouldn't be long before Grant would find a solution, and Allison could come at any moment. The blonde's amulet was an Owl—she could just fly up and get the totem. Piper had to think fast. She had to Andrew the solution.

She chuckled at her joke. Even though it sucked.

_Hey, aren't red pandas good at climbing?_

Fueled by her sudden revelation, Piper imagined a red panda climbing a tree. The glow in her amulet reappeared. She deactivated her night vision in favor of the red light, but found that she couldn't. To her surprise, she was four feet smaller and no longer bipedal. She was an actual red panda.

_This is weird! And awesome!_ Piper excitedly began climbing the stalagmite hill. Her furry paws still slipped a little, but she was making fantastic progress. Soon she reached the summit where the Titans' Lion totem was precariously balanced on a lone spike.

* * *

She could hear Jake cheering from below. It was almost endearing if not for the sudden pressure April felt to win. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Even though the overhang provided shade, it was ridiculously hot. She wondered if she'd bitten off more than she could chew. Rock-climbing was part of her training regime, but there she'd have a harness and support. Now, the only support came from her teammates. But this point, Jake was really getting on her nerves. _Gee, doesn't he ever stop?_ April looked down to _kindly_ tell him to shut up, but another face met hers first.

It was Natalie scaling the cliff.

_When did she arrive?!_ Thinking back, it never occurred to April that Jake might've been warning her. _It's too late now. I've already tackled half of the cliff and it looks like Miss Agent just started._ But if there was one thing April learned, it was to never underestimate an opponent. She ignored the strain in her knuckles as she clambered upwards and onwards. Luckily the cliff had a few holds, but some looked ready to crumble. April found that the hard way.

When April paused to regain her breath, an idea popped in her mind. _Hang on. I can let some rocks fall onto Natalie, can't I?_ It was a good idea. April angled her foot on a weathered section of the rock and dug her toes in. She mildly slipped as pieces of rock tumbled down. She glanced at Natalie, who was met with a shower of soil. To April's glee, it delayed her.

_Hunter wouldn't be happy with my sabotaging,_ she thought, _but he doesn't have to know I did it on purpose._

There was shouting again. It was almost frantic. When April looked down, her eyes widened.

Natalie was right behind her.

_What? But—But she was meters away!_ Vexed by the agent wannabe, April picked up her pace. But with every step she took, Natalie took another. It was like an uphill march. With the rate Natalie was going, she would indefinitely catch up.

Minutes passed and the Fox-teen was lagging from exhaustion. She suddenly became very dehydrated. Her limbs felt like strips of iron hammered by a blacksmith, and she was sure her fingers had blisters. It was a feat that she hadn't given up.

From what she could tell Natalie was also tired, yet she managed to get the lead with large strides. Suddenly, Natalie grabbed a hold in the cliff that crumbled instantly that left her dangling on one arm about thirty feet in the air.

April debated on whether to help her. _Then again, this was the girl who jumped out of the plane with no parachute..._

But it was futile thinking. Even as April passed her, Natalie had recovered. It was a tense race as they battled for the lead. They painfully closed the gap between them and the totems, but April gave a sharp cry of pain as her body sagged against the cliff. The totem was so close yet so far away. A hand grabbed one, but it wasn't hers.

Natalie did a backwards somersault. April's heart clenched when the Panther-teen landed on the ground with the Titans' totem.

* * *

"Maria!"

_We're done for_, Jake thought as he helplessly watched a figure in the distance run towards them. He thought April would win for sure! But Natalie was too strong. Now another strong person was coming.

"It looks like they've established a runner," Hunter said, disheartened.

Jake nodded. "Yeah, Maria's the best runner there is!"

They watched the exchange. Natalie threw her team's Crow totem to the Hispanic. Maria caught it, skidded to a stop, and ran in the other direction. "Hurry!" Natalie yelled before slumping to the ground like a paper doll.

"We have to catch up!" Jake turned to their teammate still hanging onto the cliff. "Go April! C'mon, you can do it!"

As if in answer, April feebly took their Crow totem and dropped it. It accidentally hit Jake on the head (which really hurt!) but his cheer was short-lived when April herself dropped. Fortunately, Hunter caught her before she hit the ground. "I've got her!" he barked. "Go! Take the totem and go back to base!"

"I can't beat Maria!"

"Just go!"

_I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THIS!_ was all Jake could think about as he dashed away.

* * *

She wasn't a great runner just because she could run fast, true as that was. Maria was great because she knew her limits—how long she could run on different terrain, which in turn led her to calculate how much energy she should muster for each step, and how many breaths she should take to regain such energy. Long-distance running was all about pacing yourself, unlike short-distance where you gave it your all. But the tiredness after a race wasn't compared to the anticipation felt before the race. It was nerve-wracking to wait for the pistol-shot. Maria had trained herself to block out anything else but the deafening sound, yet false starts still victimized her.

It was the same on the island. Maria had run countless times only to find that there hadn't been a call for her, only a squawk of a bird or the roar of waves. She was about to dismiss another for an illusion, but Natalie's voice was loud, clear and so very real.

"Hurry!" she heard the wannabe agent shout as Maria ran away, blue Crow totem tucked under her chest. The Hispanic grinned as her pent-up energy was finally released in a torrent of strides. She kept her head straight and her arms swinging to and fro like twin pendulums. _This is just like a baton race_, she thought. _I hope_ mis otros amigos _have found the other totems_.

While Maria ran, she felt an odd sensation pooling at her torso, a warmth that wasn't there before. But Maria was someone who noticed the facts, not the significances. It was the same on the plane. She knew it was a long way down, but not the probability of death as she jumped from the exit. '_I have a parachute, it's okay_'. Now, she knew something was happening to her, but she didn't know that it was helping her. The warmth was her amulet in activation.

She was making good progress when she spotted a figure by the shore. It was Sebastian staring out into the ocean. "_¡Enemigo!_" she shouted, catching his attention. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for Madison," Sebastian replied. His eyes centered on the totem. "What, you already found one?! Guess that makes us even..."

"Even? You don't mean—" The Hispanic looked at the ocean. Indeed, she saw two yellow buoys at least ten meters apart and a fifty meters away from shore. Strapped to one was her team's totem; the other buoy was empty. Panic seized her. ¡Mierda! _We're in trouble! I can't swim and leave the Crow totem here; Sebastian could steal it._ ¡Maldición! _I have to call for help!_

Swiftly, Maria ran to the edge of the jungle and hollered; "Titans! I need a swimmer!" Simultaneously, Madison arrived ashore. This only fueled Maria's cries for help.

* * *

"Can you hear that?" Maureen asked, stopping in her tracks.

Mathias nodded. "I think it's Maria. She sounds like she's in trouble." The two hurriedly followed the faint cries until they reached the edge of the jungle. Flattening a giant leaf, the sun blinded Mathias for a moment as he and Maureen stepped onto the beach. He could see Maria frantically running towards them.

"_Amigo_, I need you to swim! Swim like crazy to that totem!" the Hispanic spluttered, pointing to the sea.

"What happened? I thought Natalie was in charge of the beach!" Maureen asked.

"She was in charge of the cliffs as well!" Maria explained, showing the Crow totem. "Hurry! Time is ticking!"

Her nagging was reinforced by the sudden appearance of Jake with his team's Crow totem. "Give it to me!" he shouted, and Madison proceeded to throw their team's totem (it was the Lion one) to the loud teen. Jake then sped off for the base.

"I'll go in," Mathias said as he sprinted for the water. He didn't mind the cold water after the time he spent in the hot jungle, but Mathias wondered just how Madison managed to swim in the strong current. He was a fairly good swimmer, but the waves were relentless. Then an idea struck him—he could let the rips drag him out. It was efficient but risky. He stopped treading water and relaxed, feeling the cold water ease him into the dangerous currents. Then Mathias realized that the buoys were placed in the rips, something he felt had been intentional.

_Sneaky Chris._

Eventually he got to his team's Lion totem. A bit frustrated, Mathias snatched it from its bonds and turned around. Swimming back would be hard now that he had the totem in tow. _Swim parallel to the beach_, he recalled. It took him about two minutes to get back to shore; he was a dripping mess when he trudged up the sand. But despite his exhaustion, he gave the totem to Maria who sped off after Jake.

"We're losing," Maureen sighed, the back of her hand wiping her sweaty forehead.

"Not yet," Mathias said.

* * *

Jake was surprised that he wasn't tired yet. Carrying two heavy wooden totems and sprinting along the coastline would've killed him by now, but somehow he was still standing. But he knew that Maria was just right behind him with her team's totems. There was no way he could outrun her.

_I just need to reach base_, he thought. _If we're lucky, the other team is still finding the last totem!_

"I'm coming for you, _enemigo_!" he heard from behind him. Jake cringed, realizing it to be Maria hot on his heels. He willed himself to run faster, but it was too late. He and Maria were neck-and-neck in a tight race that would decide the winner of the challenge. But the pair were so focused on beating the other that they remained oblivious to the glow emitting from their amulets.

Maria's was a chestnut that enveloped her body, with fierce streams of white and brown fluttering behind her. Jake's was a pure tan-brown that coiled around his body, molding into surges of electrifying black. As they ran, their amulets gave them an astounding burst of speed that allowed them to run faster than they ever thought possible. Their surroundings were a mere blur of colors, _totems_ and _enemy_ the only tangible things to them, _winning_ the intangible.

Under their trance, it had only taken them two minutes to cover a quarter of the coastline, but to them it felt like an hour. With only a quarter more to go to base, it was inevitable that the spell would be broken.

"Maria!"

The Hispanic saw Andrew and Piper stumbling out of the forest, the latter throwing the blue Fox totem to the runner. Tucking two totems under her chest, Maria caught the last one in her free hand. But the exchange cost her. She fell behind Jake, who was still going strong, and the added weight of another totem slowed her. But she held on. Maria knew that she had all three of the totems, whereas Jake only had two. As the plane and Chris came into view, Maria was ready to win.

Until two teens showed up.

It was Allison and Grant with their Fox totem. Suddenly, Maria knew that she would lose.

_No_, she thought as Jake reached the base and stacked the Crow and the Lion atop the Fox totem. She felt her team's totems slip from her fingers.

_I've already lost._

"The Lava Lords win!"

* * *

**I know, it's been a while. You can all probably guess why it took me so long to write this up /COUGH/school/COUGH/procrastination/COUGH/ But here's the challenge! Mind you, I would've written the elimination ceremony and other filler things, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting. I've already skipped editing (I will fix those mistakes later!)**

**Sorry if your character didn't get to be in the spotlight that much! Didn't want to overload the POVs! Their time will come soon... /insert ominous music**

**Until next time, and thank you all for the wonderful reviews! Don't hesitate to speculate on who the Titans will eliminate :D**

**/terminated**


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